Machine for simultaneously conditioning the attaching surface and trimming the edge of unattached shoe soles



Oct. 27, 1953 KELLY 2,656,555

J. H. MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CONDITIONING THE ATTACHING SURFACE AND TRIMMING THE EDGE OF UNATTACHED SHOE SOLEIS Filed Jan. 8, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

His Alia-n51,

Oct. 27, 1953 2,656,555

J. H. KELLY MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CONDITIONING THE ATTACHING SURFACE AND TRIMMING THE EDGE OF UNATTACHED SHOE SOLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1951 INVENTOR.

John H. Ke/Q Patented Oct. 27, 1953 MACHINE FOR SIM ULTANEOUSLY CONDI- TIONING THE ATTACHING SURFACE AND TRIMMING THE SHOE SOLES EDGE OF UNATTACHED John H. Kelly, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application January 8, 1951, Serial No. 204,881 7 Claims. (01. 12-85.1)

This invention relates generally to machines for conditioning the soles of footwear and more particularly to machines for automatically and simultaneously conditioning the edges and the cementing face of the soles of footwear.

This invention is an improvement on the invention disclosed in United States Patent 2,545,- 471, entitled Shoe Sole Conditioning Machine, issued March 20, 1951.

This machine is made to operate on unattached shoe soles. In the preparation of outer soles intended to be attached to certain types of shoes with adhesive cement, it is now customary to rough the attaching face of the sole and trim or bevel the sole edge before that sole is attached to the bottom of a lasted shoe. These are two independent operations which necessitate double handling of the sole.

The edge trimming operation is now practiced by holding a single shoe sole in the hands and revolving its perimeter against a rotary edge trimming cutter which invariably leaves tool marks on the soles at the start and stop points and is a time-consuming operation in the hands of the most skilled workmen.

It is the purpose of this invention to combine the trimming operation with the roughing operation into a single operation in passing a sole through the machine.

In the manufacture of certain types of shoes it is the practice of the trade to cut the sole with a die that is accurately made to fit the shoe to which it will be subsequently attached. Very little stock, if any, is allowed for removal by the edge trimming operation. The purpose of the edge trimming operation is to bevel the corners of the sole edge or to shape the edge with various designs that impart a finished appearance to the edge. The desired shape or profile of the sole edge is formed on the trimming tool and is transferred to the sole edge as the sole is guided and fed into the path of the tool.

In order to produce a smooth well defined edge without sacrificing the quality of the roughened cement track it is necessary that the speed of the work be timed or correlated to the speed of the roughing tool and also the trimming tool.

On certain types of material such as rubber soles the cutting tool consists of a grinding wheel, whereas when operating on leather soles, it is preferable to use a fluted edge trimming cutter.

It may on occasions be desirable to rough the sole without trimming the edge. In this event the grinding wheel is not rotated under power and merely acts as a guide roll. On the other hand it may be necessary to perform the trimming operation without roughing the surface of the sole. The cutting tool is then replaced with a feed roll which consists of a cylindrical memher having a plurality of continuous thread-like helices cut on its diametrical face. The thread transmits lateral thrust to the sole so that it is kept in constant contact with the edge trimming tool which shapes the edge of the sole.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved machine that aids in automatically feeding and guiding unattached soles of footwear while their surfaces are being conditioned preparatory to the application of an adhesive for attaching the same to footwear.

Another object is the provision of a conditioning machine for the soles of footwear which will simultaneously trim the perimetral edge of the sole, the edge being profiled or shaped, While the attaching surface is roughened. The machine profiles the edge of the soles and simultaneously rands or otherwise conditions a band adjacent the perimetral edge of the sole.

Another object is the provision of a sole conditioning throat formed by subjacently mounted pressure roll and cutter rolls, a laterally disposed feed roll and a guide roll, all of which are power driven and operate directly on the sole to automatically condition the same. The sole is pressed against the cutter by the pressure roll, and the feed roll aids in urging the edge of the sole through the throat and against the guide roll which may be provided with tool surfaces such as a stone, a cutter, or combined cutter skiver to shape and profile the edge of the sole as it passes from the throat. The feed roll is closely adjacent the ends of the cutter and pressure rolls and has a roughened or knurled surface which drives the edge of the sole at the same peripheral speed as the pressure roll and in the same direction. The teeth of the cutter follow a threadlike pattern and on the sole driving it toward the feed roll. The cutter rotates to move the sole in the same direction but at a much faster surface speed than the pressure roll. The guide or trimming roll skiving or profiling the sole edge but may be an idling roll when functioning only as a guide roll. Thus it is the position of the guide roll in front of the cutter and pressure roll that determines its guiding ability and it is adjustable across the front of the conditioning throat to provide the best guiding location for different shaped soles. The adjustment of the guide roll to profile and produce a thrust guide different sole patterns simultaneously is another important object of this invention.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawings show, for the purpose of exemplification without limiting the invention of claims thereto, certain practical embodiments of the invention wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine comprising this invention with the edge trimming beam and motor removed.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation with parts broken away of the machine as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the sole conditioning throat taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along; the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the feed roll drive which is mounted on the machine as a separate unit.,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of. the structure shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7; is a view in sideelevation showing, av combination edge trimming and chamfering, cutter.

Referring to the drawings the shoe sole conditiorring machine is mounted on the base I which is constructed on a. standard and contains a motor and a blower unit. together with a conduit system; for cooling: the cutter mechanism and for withdrawing the; cuttings from the vicinity of the conditioning; operation. The motor employed to drive the conditioing. machine may be of ordinary induction type; orone may provide a variable speed motor for this use to obtain different sole conditioning. effects. shaft 2 through the V-belt. 3 on the pulley 4. The shaft 2 extends through and is journaled in a speed reducing mechanism 5 of any suitable design. The forward end of the shaft 2 extends through. the bearing 6 in the back wall of the machine casting. and into the cutting chamber 1 the topof. which is closed, by the table member 8. The table- 81 is pivotally supported as. indicated at 9, to swing, outwardly and open the upper end or the chamber 1:.

A cutter H1 is mounted on. the end of the. shaft 2. and is heldin place by the left-hand, thread screw Llwhich clamps the-cutteragainst a shoulder onv the shaft. which may be: under the pres.- sure ofv a. pressure washer or spacer member" as shown. The. cutter rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed, Fig. 2 and; is preferably" of. a design; such as disclosed. in Patent. No... 2,429,822 with the interrupting teeth following; the left.- handv helix. The. cutter may be: of any desirable width. according to the width ofthe. surface to be. conditioned on the shoe sole. The cutter is formed. so,- thatv itmay' be turned end for end on the shaftv andthe teeth are provided with the duplicate cutting profiles to increase its life. This cutter roll. Hi is.preferably madewith tungr sten carbided tips or other suitable: hard. metal; to give: a. lasting quality and. relative. long life in servicein cutting soles-of: leathenrubberor other synthetic material.

It willbe noted that. the ridges. of the teeth of thecutter extend slightly abovethe surfaceofthe table. The pivotal support of the table is adjust able. to regulate the-height ofthesame tomaintainthe: height of the sole surface. relative to the cutter.

The chamber 1.! terminates. a. downwardly and rearwardl-y openpassage that may be con.- nected by a flexible hose, such as. indicated at. I72.,.which proceeds to the blower and thenceto; a

The motor drives the such as indicated at 31..

4 suitable discharge system. The air being drawn by the blower through the passage [2 will pick up and convey any of the material that is removed from the soles by the cutter and draw or suck the same into the pneumatic system. This influx of air also functions to cool the tools and the bearings which materially increases the life or the machine.

The speed reducer 5 is also provided with a shaft it which extends out the front end and is provided with a spur gear i4 that meshes with the spur gear 5 on the shaft IS. The shaft I6 is journaled in a casting ll which is pivotally supported on the. shaft l3 and has a rearwardly extending arm IS.

The forward end of the shaft [6 is constructed to. receive the pressure roller sleeve which is held in place by the nut 2|. The pressure roller is a resilient sleeve preferably made of rubber or some similar plastic material and is made to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. A throat is formed between the pressure roll and. the cutter, which is immediately below and in line with the pressure roll. The cutter and the pressure roll rotate in opposite directions to move a sole through the throat which is indicated at 22.

The casting I! with its rearwardly extending arm i8 is provided with an actuating rod 23 which is secured to the end of the arm and extends downwardly being connected to a rocking lever actuated by a foot pedal not shown. The rocking casting l'i' is provided with a stop mem-.- ber 2d that is part of the plate and the casting it may be adjusted by the nut 25 supported on the rod 23. The rocking casting I1 is provided with a spring member 2!- that engages an adjustable screw member. 28' for the purpose of determining the pressure applied through the-pressure roll against the sole. The screw 28 may be calibrated so that the pressure exerted at the throat 22 is in accordance with the iron measurement of the sole to obtain. a predetermined; roughened condition.

The table 8 is removably supported on the. post 26. The plate member 33, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6,, is mounted on the machine casting and carriesa train of gears, the: train starting. with the-beveled pinion 31-, the spur gear 32, the intermediate idler spur gears 33 and 3-4.. and: thefinal ear 35 which is integral with the feed. roll. 36 that is provided with a knurled surface; This whole; train of gears is. independently mounted on the plate 30 and it is. separably removable from: the machine casting. by the screw members. The beveled pinion: 3|:-

extends upwardly and engages the beveled gear 38 secured tothe end of the shaft 13: as; shown in Fig. 4. The bearings 40;, shown: in Figs;. 1. and 4, support the rocking casting i on the shaft t3: The peripheral speed of the small feed roll. 38 is. the same as the speed; of the perimetral. surface. of the pressure roll 20 which. accounts for the" necessity of the train: of gearsnamely' to increase the speedof the-feed roll so that the surface. feed is the same as that oi? the pressure. roll;

The base is provided with an: upstanding col-- umn 4-1 arranged; to. receive; the split clamp-cast-- ing 42-: that is clamped: in place by the clamping and locking: bar member 43 for the purpose of supporting the edge trimming machine 44 relativetothethroat 22. Thecasting 42 carries the motor 4:51 which. has the drive pulley 4t, driving the V-belt 4:1. and the driven pulley 48 on the" spindle 49.. that: has attached thereto the pro-- filing; or edge trimming. tool member 50', that is adjustablein an arcin front of the throat 22 formed between the cutter and the feed pressure roll. i i

The spindle 49 is housed in spaced bearings 5| in the fore end of the casting 42. The driving connection is enclosed by the shell member 52 and held in place by the nut 53. As shown in Fig. 1 the tool member may be swung from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in dotted lines between which positions the tool 50 may be adjusted for the purpose of automatically conditioning the soles of different size and shape. An adjustable stop 54 determines the limit that the tool 50 may be swung inwardly toward the plate 30.

As shown in Fig. 2 the tool 50 is made up of a grinding wheel 55 and two shield members 56, one on each side of the grinding wheel which encase the same and make the upper and lower edges of the grinding wheel ineffective as against any part of the machine or the sole being conditioned. As shown in Fig. 7 thetool 50 may be replaced by the tool 56 shaped as a cutter to put a beaded surface in the edge of the sole and also to skive the under surface of the sole. The tool 50 is provided with the cutter members 51 and the randing lip58. Thus the tool 50 may be constructed of metal and have cutting edges when operating on leather, but when operating on rubber or synthetic material it is preferable to use a stone or similar abrading tool. As indicated in Fig. 1 the tool 50 rotates in a clockwise direction which is against the movement of the sole as it passes through the throat 22. This is the preferredrotation of the trimmer tool 50'. However it may be' rotated in a counterclockwise direction and still trim the edge. Either direction of rotation of the trimming tool or an idling roll at this point provides the proper component of force to resist the movement of the shoe sole and guide it through the throat.

The sole is ordinarily started adjacent the shank and it is preferable, although not necessary, to depress the foot pedal and rock the casting I! so as to raise the pressure roll and insert the sole in the throat 22 when the machine is in operation. As soon as the foot treadle is released and allows the rocking casting I! to bring the pressure roll against the surface of the sole, the latter immediately becomes subject to the cutting and thrust action of the cutter In which forces the edge of the sole against the feed roll which in turn aids in moving the sole forward. Since the tool 59 is in front of the throat the sole engages the same and then is required to move laterally in a clockwise direction. The sole continues to travel in a circle and must be removed at the end or it will continue to travel.

The pressure roll and the cutter, with its helical teeth traveling in an annular path, operate on a sole which is traveling in a changing angular path due to its contact with the edge feed roll and engagement with the guide trimming roll which are the factors that cause the sole to automatically travel around its full perimeter. The thrust created by the cutter, and the angular position of the sole between its two edgewise contact points at the feed and the guide roll, produce a leverage which causes the sole to turn as it is driven forward. It is necessary that the edge of the sole keep in contact with the feed roll at all times which is accomplished by the lateral thrust of the cutter. Soles with abrupt turns such as narrow heels or toes have a tendency to leave the feed roll when the sole is pivoting too fast at the toe or heel. The rate'of pivot speed can be controlled by increasing the lateral thrust. This may be accomplished by moving the trimming cutter outward from the roughing cutter on its adjustable arc to increase the gap between the sole edge contact points and thus increase the angle or lateral thrust of the sole. This added thrust will retard thesole at the pivot points and keep it in close contact with the feed roll. This may also be accomplished by increasing the spring tension on the pressure roll housing. It will exert pressure on the sole, causing the teeth of the roughing cutter to bite into the sole deeper and due to the teeth lying in a helical plane they will exert a greater lateral thrust and cause the sole to hug the feed r01 In addition to making the sole constantly. hug the feed roll, the amount of pressure exerted against the feed roll and trimming roll can be regulated by either of the above mentioned methods. It is the amount of pressure exerted against the trimming roll that determines the degree of trimming or tock removal and by using these two methods of obtaining lateral thrust, the amount of stock removal can be accurately regulated.

I claim:

1. A shoe sole conditioning machine, comprising a rotary cutter, a rotary pressure r011 mounted to cooperate with the rotary cutter in forming a throat through which a sole passes while being conditioned, a rotary feed roll having substantially the same peripheral speed as the pressure roll and mounted with its perimetral face adjacent the ends of the cutter and the pressure roll on one side of the throat to engage the edge of a shoe sole in the throat and aid in feeding it therethrough, and a rotary edge trimming guide roll adjacent the end of the throat to engage the edge of the shoe sole to profile and trim the same while automatically guiding it through the conditioning throat.

2. A shoe sole conditioning machine, comprising a rotary cutter, a rotary pressure roll mounted to cooperate with the rotary cutter in forming a throat through which a sole passes while being conditioned, a rotary feed roll having substantially the same peripheral speed as the pressure roll and mounted with its perimetral face adjacent the ends of the cutter and the pressure roll on one side of the throat to engage the edge of a shoe sole in the throat and aid in feeding it th-erethrough, a rotary edge trimming guide roll adjacent the end of the throat to engage the edge of the shoe sole to profile and trim the same While automatically guiding it through the conditioning throat, and power means to drive said edge trimming guide roll in a direction opposite to that of the movement of a shoe sole through the throat.

3. A shoe sole conditioning machine, comprismg a rotary cutter, a rotary pressure roll mounted to cooperate with the rotary cutter in forming a throat through which a sole passes while being conditioned, a rotary feed roll having substantially the same peripheral speed as the pressure roll and mounted with its perimetral face adjacent the ends of the cutter and the pressure roll on one side of the throat to engage the edge of a shoe sole in the throat and aid in feeding it therethrough, a rotary edge trimming guide roll adjacent the end of the throat to engage the edge of the shoe sole to profile and trim the same while automatically guiding it through the condifioniut throatv and independent power means to w edge trimming guideroil in: a direction opposite to that oi the movement or a shoe sole the 4a A shoe soleconditioning machine, comprisin! a. rotary cutter, a rotary pressure roll mounted to cooperate with the rotary cutter in a: throat through which a solepasses while being; conditioned, arotary feed roll: having Substantially the same peripheral speed as the pressure roll and mounted with its perimetral moo adiaoent the ends of the cutter and the pressure on one side of the moat to engage edze of ashoe sole in: the throat and aid in feeding it therethrough, a rotary guide roll momitod to swing. in anv arc in. front of the sole conditioning throat, power means to drive saidi :pindie, an edgetrimming guide roll momted on the spindle adjacent end of the throat to engage the edge of the shoe sole passing or the throat, and; means to lock the arcuate 01 the guide roll. to automatically guide a shoe sole oi predetermined size,

5*. A shoe sole conditioning machine, oomprismg to rotary cutter, a rotary pressure roll mounted to cooperate with the rotary cutter in forming a throat through which a, sole passes while being conditioned, a rotary feed roll having: substantially the same peripheral speed as the pressure roll and mountedv with its perimetral edge adjacent the ends of the cutter and the pressure roll on one side of the throat to en age the edge of a shoe sole in the throat and aid in feeding it therethrough, and an independently rotary edge trimming and skiving too-1 adiaioent the end of the throat to engage the edge oi the shoe soIetoproii-le-and trim the same while automatically guiding it around its complete perimeter through the machine.

- 6. A four-point contact shoe sole conditioning machine omp ising a frame; a ro a y cut er roll mounted said frame. a pres ure roll mounted on said frame to co-operate with the rotary cutter roll and. forming therewith a dual contactin throat through which thesol pas while being conditioned, a rotary i droll mounted on the frame with. its perimetrai face adjacent the endsof the cutter and pressure: rolls at one side of sai throat-to engage the-sole edge and forma: third e'ontacting point, a roughened perimetr l rfaeeon the sa d 1011. and a ra er! edge trimmin guide roll adjacent the end of the throat to enga e the edeeof the s le to profil and trim the some while automat c y uid n it through the throat and form the fourth eontaoting point, means to drive three of said rolls and means to drive one of said rolls independently, all of said rolls simultaneously engaging the sole in the throat to control its movement and the conditioning thereot.

'7... The structure 01 claim 6 characterized in that three of said rolls contacting? the sole move it in the same direction and said fourth mil. eontaoting'. the sole rotates in a direction opposite to the movement of the sole.

JOHN KELLY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PA'IIENIS Number Name Date 210L179 Hood '1, 193': 2,130,553 Le Gault o- Sept. 20*, 1938 2,296,836 Brostrom Sept. 29-, i942 2,429,591 Bazzoni Oct. 28', I947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 450,122 Great Britain July 10, 1936' 

